Neither is required for renewal of merit-based aid. Only the FAFSA is required for renewal of need-based aid.

If additional documents are needed, the Office of Financial Aid will request these via email to the student’s RPI email address.  Students may also view their outstanding requirements list using their SIS account.   Please do not send documents unless they are requested of you.

Additional document notifications begin after the May 1st deposit date and will continue monthly until all requirements are met.   When requirements are not met in a timely manner, disbursement delays can occur.

Deposits due dates vary by admissions application type and are published on the Admissions website.   Standard Admit deposits are due on May 1 each year.   Admissions can be reached at admissions@rpi.edu or (518) 276-6216 if you have any questions about your due date.  The deposit payment is applied toward the student’s bill.

Rensselaer bills electronically via Transact. The student may access Transact once they have been given access to SIS. Instructions can be found here. The student may designate additional users in Transact, usually a parent or guardian. Notification of the availability of billing statements are sent by the Bursar's Office to the student's RPI email address as well as to any users the student has authorized. Fall Semester statements are made available in early July. The due date is typically at the end of the first week of August each year. If you have detailed billing questions, the Bursar's Office can be reached at (518) 276-6610 or http://finance.rpi.edu/support.

Once you receive your bill from the Bursar’s office you will want to apply for any additional loans or set up a monthly payment plan, if desired.  Monthly payment plan information is available on the Bursar's website. 

If interested in loan options please refer to the loan section of The Office of Financial Aid’s website or ELM Select.

To request a review of your awards due to financial changes, you can complete our Change In Family Circumstance Form which is available at https://test-rpi-financial-aid.pantheonsite.io/forms.

Students must remain full time (12 or more credits) throughout each semester to receive the full amount of their merit aid award.   There is not a specific GPA requirement associated with merit aid renewal.

Incoming freshman may receive up to eight semesters of RPI gift aid throughout enrollment (ten for Architecture majors).  For transfer students the timeframe is based on the grade level determined when admitted.   For example, a student who is a transfer-in Junior would have up to four semesters of eligibility (2 semesters x 2 years).

Subsidized means the Federal government pays the interest on your behalf while you attend college at least half-time. Unsubsidized means that the interest on your loan will accumulate while you are enrolled in school. Interest rates adjust annually on July 1.  Current rates can be found online at https://studentaid.gov/.

Students must first accept their loan through their SIS account.  After accepting their loan they will need to complete both a Master Promissory Note and a consumer information Entrance Counseling session online through US Department of Education at https://studentaid.gov/.

If you were awarded Federal Work Study you will need to accept the award in your SIS account.   

After accepting the award, a job placement application will be listed in your SIS account.   The application deadline is August 1 and placements are prioritized based on date & time that applications are received.   Additional hiring eligibility and document requirements detail will be provided after placements are made.

Please be aware that Rensselaer’s housing policy indicates a student must live on campus for their first five semesters.  In most cases, financial aid eligibility will not change if you move off campus. Our policy is to make every attempt to renew your aid package at the same level as previous years, provided your level of financial need does not change. You will still incur living costs, but they will not appear on your bill. 

The simplest way for information to be shared with others is to have the student complete a FERPA release form.  This form can be found in the Forms section of our website. Once our office has this form we can release your financial aid information to the person/person’s that you listed.

The Arch Year of Enrollment: During the Junior year, students live on-campus and attend courses over the Summer as part of The Arch Program.  Then the student attends one additional term (Fall or Spring).  Generally speaking, students retain the same level of aid eligibility during their Arch year as they do in other academic years.

Academic Progress Monitoring:  Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress throughout enrollment to remain eligible for federal financial aid.  While specific requirements can vary by program, the general concept is that students who do not complete all of the courses they register for, or who perform consistently below GPA standards for their program, may lose eligibility. 

Accelerated Master’s Program:   Students who extend enrollment based on admission into an Accelerated Master’s Program are eligible for an award equal to 50% of their tuition charges during their two additional semesters of graduate study, depending on academic performance. For certain MBA programs, an additional three semesters of aid is provided.